Marathon 11/15 Virtual London Marathon in Poole: The one I ran (swam) with Keith

Pre-race photo. The calm before the storm before the storm! 

It had been only 15 days since the previous marathon in the New Forest, but the legs had recovered well and I was feeling good ahead of the Virtual London marathon. I had arranged to run this one in Poole, with my friend Keith, who like Pete last month would be another marathon debutant. Poor Keith had set out on this journey a year ago, training through the winter ready for the real London marathon in April, only for it to go the way of most other races this year and having to readjust his plans. With the new date set in the summer, Keith had restarted his training programme and was ready to join me in October around the streets of Poole. Originally we had planned to run from the New Forest down the coast through Bournemouth to Poole, but the storms of the previous few days meant some frantic rearranging on the day before. With 50mph+ winds predicted along the coast, we decided to remain more inland and to avoid the brunt of the storm, which was a south westerly and coming in off the Atlantic and up the Channel, so would have been directly in our faces. 

Syncing watches and apps and getting ready for the off

At the time of this marathon the rule of six was still in force, so I travelled down with Kev and Suzie along with their son Luca to meet Keith at Upton Country Park. Coincidentally this was the park where 23 years earlier I had proposed to Jayne, so there was an additional meaning behind the run, although it was not the focus of the day by any means. On a practical level it is only a mile from my parents’ house, and just down the road from Keith’s, so we both had a base to work from. We arrived at 8.50am, just a few minutes before our agreed scheduled start of 9am. I had loaded up the London Marathon App, which tracked our progress and every mile gave a pre-recorded celebratory cheer with voice over from Steve Cram and Paula Radcliffe, which was a great encouragement, albeit it always went off a third of a mile before we completed it! I guess it’s the thought that counts… After a quick warm up and obligatory photo, we were off, with Keith’s family on one side cheering on and Kev, Suzie and Luca on the other. 

First pit stop. Can I have a pint please? 

By the time we started we were already drenched, and a little bit trepidatious about the journey ahead. The first mile takes you through the park, down a path covered in slippy leaves to the main road and towards Poole Harbour. We had quite a few cheers in the first couple of miles, as car drivers and pedestrians alike encouraged the runners with their bibs on, and we saw other groups of VLM runners at various junctions along the way. There was a great sense of camaraderie and we felt good for the first few miles. Around the quayside, up past Poole Hospital and St Marys Church and to our first rendezvous at mile 6 with the support team at the Shah of Persia, a well known local hostelry. I’d have given anything to stop and have a pint but we kept going, with Suzie joining us up the long climb of Gravel Hill, with still more beeping cars and waving runners along the way. Keith and I kept each other at a steady 9 minute mile pace. 

Up Gravel Hill towards the second pitstop with Suzie 

We had agreed not to over-exert ourselves in the first half, but to keep a steady pace despite the rain and wind, and see where we were at 13 and 20 miles before deciding if we would really push for the 4 hour finish time or another target. In all honesty though we would be just happy to finish in one piece, given the atrocious conditions and the fact he had never run more than 21 miles before. We pushed up the long climb towards Merley and another pub, this time where we met Jayne and one of our daughters who had just arrived in Dorset, the other two having stayed back in Hampshire, and at this junction Suzie swapped with Kev and Luca and they joined me and Keith for the next 6 mile stretch back down to Upton via the attractive Castleman Trailway. We were sheltered under the trees and enjoyed chatting with Kev and Luca, and the time by we reach the end of the line we were back in Upton at the 15 mile mark. We stop briefly for Keith to nip indoors for high fives from his boys and we’re out on the road again, it’s absolutely lashing it down but we’re delighted to see my brother, his wife, their young daughter and Rio the German Shepherd to cheer us on along the main road, and are further boosted by stopping off at my parents’ house to say hi and for me to change a t-shirt and glug some Lucozade Sport. 

Through Poole Park at mile 19 - lovely surprise to see Keith's family cheering on

We trade Kev and Luca for Suzie again and away we go, onwards towards mile 20 and back into Poole around the quay again, through Poole Park where Keith's family give us an unexpected wave, remembering where the worst puddles were from the first time round! Up the hill to the Shah where Jayne joins us for the final push. There are less than 6 miles to go and Keith is now beyond the point of his longest ever run. He’s been a real inspiration, truly dedicated to the cause, and after following an exemplary training plan is still going strong. We aren’t going to break 4 hours but we won’t be far off it, as he’s not slowing down significantly. Keith is running for Child of Hope, which supports school children in Uganda by providing free education, healthcare, welfare, food and clothing to the poorest children in the Namatala slum near Mbale. Keith comments that he just can’t believe it’s all real, after all that training here he is on the final stretch of the marathon, still going strong and still chatting when he can. The breathing from both of us is getting a bit more laboured, whilst Jayne is fresh as a daisy, and together with Suzie encourages us to pick up our feet, to focus on breathing, and to keep our heads up. We cut over to the trailway again and turn for the last time towards Upton. 

Final couple of miles down the railway

We see more runners out and about, some walking, some running, some looking very professional and others dressed in fancy dress, just like the London Marathon itself, which is always a mix of the sublime and the ridiculous, all in a good cause. We cross the final roundabout and into the park, but with over half a mile to go we have to take a bit of a detour to make sure we cover all the mileage. Before long we here Steve Cram emanating from the app, congratulating us for finishing the marathon even though we’ve got 1/3 of a mile to go. But never mind, it’s part of the fun. We bank round to the side of Upton House where we are greeted by two groups of Keith's friends and family, cheering him over the line. Jayne, Suzie and I peel off so that he can take the flag, in fact his boys have made a finish tape which he bursts through, with the energy of a man who looks like he’s on mile 6 and not mile 26!! 

Amazing effort by Keith. The boys made him a finish line to run through! 

We have finished in 4 hours 5 minutes which is an extraordinary achievement for his first ever marathon. My parents and daughter join us shortly afterwards and after the obligatory photos we say our goodbyes to everyone. Again it is so hard not being able to touch, to give a high five or a hug to Keith or to our close friends, nor to my folks. It still feels so unnatural. This marathon felt different because of the dire weather. I had run in heavy rain before but nothing quite like this, so I’m absolutely delighted with the time, and above all that Keith did so well on his first marathon. 

Celebrating finishing 

I head back to my parents’ house for dinner and it’s great to catch up with them… it’s been so hard during lockdown not to meet frequently and not to hug when we do I’m absolutely freezing and in desperate need of a bath and a coffee. 

what a team! 

Soon afterwards it’s dinner time… is there anything more warming than a casserole made by your mum and a pint of beer poured by your dad? It’s been another great day of memories, and as we get back we find that the total raised has gone up to £3,750, so we are 75% of our way to the £5,000 target. Thank you so much to each and every one of our supporters, you have been magnificent, and driven us on. I learned a lot from my previous marathon about supporting those who were new to the race, running at their pace, maybe a step or two behind, to encourage them all the way and not to run my own race. Everyone's endurance race is different, be that a real marathon, living through lockdown, or a life of bereavement after baby loss. We can encourage them along the way but can't run it for them... Onwards then to marathon 12 in Exeter in November, where I hope to put the running bib on again with a race number. Having run the last two with someone the whole way round, it will be strange running solo again. It has been an absolute joy to share today’s journey, to raise awareness of Sands and to help a friend achieve their own goal too.

Back home with a pint of the favourite beer. The Golden Champion! 


The t shirt and medal which arrived three weeks later